Golden Bachelor’s Gerry Turner Engaged to Lana Sutton

by

Gerry Turner is heading down the aisle once more.

The star of The Golden Bachelor-who separated from his wife, Theresa Nist, in April 2024, just three months after their wedding on TV-shared the news that he and his girlfriend, Lana Sutton, are getting married.

Gerry shared exciting news on Instagram on October 3rd. He announced that The Golden Bachelor is now taken! He revealed he’s found his ideal partner and she accepted his proposal, saying ‘YES’. He expressed his love for this woman.

The 74-year-old also shared selfies of the couple-they revealed their relationship in April 2025-taken at the beach, prominently displaying her circular diamond engagement ring.

And Lana, a retired school teacher, is feeling nothing but rosy about the milestone.

BIG news!…We’re getting married!” Lana shared on Instagram. “The Golden Bachelor Season 1 brought me together with the man I’ve always dreamed of…Gerry Turner!!! I love you, Babe, more than words can say! We’re a perfect match! I’m so proud of us as a couple.”

The two became good friends after connecting on Facebook and discovering they had both grown up only 20 minutes apart in Indiana. However, Gerry preferred to move forward cautiously after ending his relationship with Theresa.

Okay, so you are NOT going to believe this! He *finally* told us on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast – April 15th, can you even?! – that he’s dating someone! He said things are going well, which, YES, finally! But he’s being super careful, which I get, honestly. He doesn’t want to jinx it! He’s just trying to be respectful and wait a decent amount of time after his divorce before going public. I’m dying to know more, but I totally understand the need to protect things!

A major challenge in their marriage for the Bachelor Nation stars stemmed from their long-distance relationship; he lived in Indiana while she was based in New Jersey. Ultimately, this distance proved difficult for their long-term future together, and was one of the issues they faced.

What really stands out to me from our talks is how much we both value family,” Gerry shared with Good Morning America. “When we consider everything, we both believe it’s best for our individual happiness if we live separately.”

But even Theresa had to admit his new relationship was “really cute.”

He seemed to be truly longing for someone to love again,” the 72-year-old shared with Us Weekly in April. “He was full of affection and had a lot to offer. From what I’ve seen, he jumped into this relationship quickly, but it appears to be a very good match.”

Describing Lana as phenomenal, Theresa shared that they had a deep conversation, including discussing his cancer. She said Lana is fully supportive, telling him that any time they have together is wonderful. They’ve also been discussing their future together at length.

A major challenge in their marriage for the Bachelor Nation stars stemmed from their long-distance relationship; he lived in Indiana, and she was based in New Jersey. This geographic separation proved difficult for their long-term future together.

What really stood out to me during our talks was how much we both value our families,” Gerry shared with Good Morning America. “When we considered everything, we both felt that living separately would ultimately make each of us happier.”

For a check in on more Bachelor Nation couples, keep reading.

Status: Engaged

According to Spencer Conley (who intrigued Jenn Tran with his “golden retriever energy” on The Bachelorette), he fetched quite the catch on the 10th season of Bachelor in Paradise. Posting a snippet of himself and Jess Edwards (she took a swing at Bachelor Joey Graziadei‘s heart) revealing that they were falling for one another—Bachelor code for I’m not quite ready to say, “I love you”—he wrote on his Instagram Stories in August 2025 that he’d “already won.” 

Jess echoed the sentiment, posting on social media, “just feeling a lil giddy about this man & whatnot.”

The couple was all smiles when they chose their relationship over the $250,000 prize, getting engaged and receiving an unexpected check for $190,000.

“Everything that we’ve been through,” Jess explained, “has led us to this exact moment.”

Their relationship is now taking her to Dallas, as the show announced her plans to move there to be with Spencer.

Status: Dating

Oh my gosh, I was *screaming* when Bailey Taylor Brown posted on Instagram in August 2025, “This was my best first date!” after she took Jeremy Simon out on Paradise‘s 10th season! But then I started to panic – was it also their last?! I mean, she originally tried to win Grant Ellis‘ heart, and he *almost* had Bachelorette Jenn wrapped around his finger, so I was SO worried when they had that huge fight after she found out he was having second thoughts about letting Susie Evans go.

But thankfully, their chemistry just kept getting stronger in Costa Rica! Even though they were sent home during the Bachelor in Paradise finale, I was glued to my phone checking for updates, and it turns out they kept seeing each other! The show even revealed they’ve *already* met each other’s families and are planning to move to the same city! I’m seriously obsessed and hoping for a proposal soon!

Status: Dating

It looks like the connection between Paradise season 10 contestants Andrew Spencer (who competed for Katie Thurston‘s heart) and Alexe Godin (from Grant’s season) is still going strong after the show. Just six days after Andrew, a football player from Chicago, called Alexe “mon amour” on Instagram in August 2025, she responded by calling him “mon chéri” in her own post.

Even though they chose love instead of the $250,000 prize on the BiP finale, they still each received $125,000.

“This is absolutely incredible,” Alexe exclaimed. “I’m leaving with money, but more importantly, with love-the most valuable thing of all.”

And the show revealed that they’re taking their relationship to Chicago, as Alexe plans to move there with Andrew.

Status: Dating

I was totally glued to the Bachelor in Paradise finale, and it was pretty intense when Sean McLaughlin came forward with claims that Kat “stashed a laptop” and was secretly writing letters to her ex! She immediately denied contacting him while on the show.

She explained, “Did me and my ex still have a relationship prior to this?” she said. “Yes, because I didn’t think I was gonna meet anybody here.” I totally understood where she was coming from!

Even though Kat and Dale didn’t make it to the final test of Paradise, I was so relieved to see their connection continued after the show. It was amazing to learn that the alum from Zach Shallcross‘ season and the former contestant from Clare Crawley‘s went on to travel all over the U.S. together and are even planning to move closer to each other and build a future! I’m rooting for them!

“Things were difficult sometimes,” Dale wrote in the comments of Kat’s Instagram post from August 2025, “but we got through it as a team…and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Status: Just friends—for now 

Golden Bachelorette contestant Gary Levingston and Leslie Fhima (who was a finalist on Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner‘s season) seemed to have a promising future after leaving Bachelor in Paradise‘s 10th season. They even shared a video on social media after their elimination talking about “making new memories.” However, the former Prince inspiration isn’t certain if she wants to take their relationship to the next level.

She shared that they stay in constant contact, explaining during an August 2025 episode of Bachelor Happy Hour: “Gary is truly one of my closest friends. I reach out to him whenever I’m struggling. He helps me calm down and get perspective, and we always support each other. We’ve got each other’s backs.”

Even though they live almost 2,000 miles apart – she’s in Minnesota and he’s in California – she still believes things could work out. “For me, the most important part of any relationship, especially a romantic one, is building a friendship first,” she explained. “I want to grow old with my best friend.”

Status: Just friends

Golden Bachelorette‘s leading man Kim Buike connected with Faith Martin, who originally received Gerry Turner’s first impression rose. Despite being eliminated during the 10th season of Paradise, the pair continued to date, with Faith sharing a video on Instagram in August 2025 showing Kim enjoying a date with her in Washington.

Ultimately, they decided they were better suited as friends and weren’t meant to be a couple.

“We still talk two or three times a week,” Faith explained in a September 2025 Instagram video. “He lives five and a half hours away. But here’s the thing: we’re not in love. Nope, not at all. We never actually fell in love, but we did have a strong connection on the show.”

Status: Split

Although Grant initially met 25 women on the first night of Bachelor, he ultimately chose Juliana Pasquarosa as his final match. Sadly, the pair decided to end their relationship less than three months after their proposal was shown on television.

“This has been a difficult post to write, but I want to be upfront with everyone. Juliana and I have decided to break up,” Grant shared on his Instagram Story on June 13. “We both tried our best and cared for each other deeply, but after many honest talks, we realized we’re just not compatible in the long run.”

Status: Engaged

Following her appearance on the initial season of The Golden Bachelor – where she left Gerry Turner‘s season before the end – Joan Vassos became the first-ever The Golden Bachelorette, choosing the contestants herself. During her time on the show, she met and became engaged to Chock Chapple.

“We show that even when life gets difficult, there’s always hope, no matter your age,” Joan shared on The Golden Bachelorette‘s November 2024 finale just before Chock proposed in Bora Bora. “I saved these words for this special moment, in this beautiful place, to tell you that I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up beside you every morning, and I want to kiss you goodnight.”

Status: Split

It seemed like Jenn Tran, who previously appeared on The Bachelor, was finding her happily ever after with Devin Strader during the season 21 finale of The Bachelorette. However, Jenn shared on After the Final Rose in September 2024 that Devin became distant as soon as filming wrapped up.

He was passionately declaring his love, but then, completely out of the blue, the next day he acted as if nothing had happened and claimed he’d never been in love at all,” Jenn explained to host Jesse Palmer on the September 3rd episode. “Suddenly, all the promises he’d made to me, and all the affection he’d expressed, just vanished.

The situation became even more complicated when Devin posted a 13-minute video on Instagram explaining his perspective. In the video, he took “accountability” and also explained the reasons behind ending the relationship during a 15-minute phone call.

Jenn said he ended their relationship during a phone call in August, but he stated that she pressed him to explain what was happening while he was attempting to tell her in person.

I was at a loss for what to do next,” he said, adding that he’d been hoping to tell her face-to-face. “She pretty much made me reveal it.”

Following that, Jenn joined Dancing With the Stars and began a relationship with her dance partner Sasha Farber. They continued to dance as a couple even after being eliminated in October 2024, but ultimately ended their relationship in 2025.

Status: Split

In November 2022, Greg Grippo (who competed for Katie Thurston‘s heart on season 17 of The Bachelorette the year before) appeared with Victoria Fuller on the season eight finale of Bachelor in Paradise. During the show, they shared that they were dating. He later announced in April 2024 that they had broken up.

Status: Split

Before Victoria Fuller and Greg Grippo revealed they were dating after the eighth season finale of Bachelor in Paradise, Victoria ended her engagement with fellow cast member Johnny DePhillipo.

Status: Divorced

Gerry and Theresa Nist became engaged in November 2023 at the end of the first season of Golden Bachelor, and they then married in a televised ceremony in January 2024.

However, three months after their nuptials, the couple announced that they were breaking up.

During an appearance on Good Morning America in April 2024, Gerry explained that Theresa and he had many honest and open talks, carefully considering their circumstances and where they lived. “We both agreed that it’s likely time to end our marriage,” he said.

They reached a divorce settlement in June 2024, according to court records reviewed by TopMob News.

In April 2025, Gerry shared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast that he was seeing someone and things were “going well.”

Status: Engaged

After courting 32 potential brides, tennis pro Joey found his perfect match in project manager Kelsey Anderson. “I can’t wait another minute to tell you that I love you,” Joey told his final rose recipient, before getting down on one knee during his season’s March 2024 finale. “There is something about you. You have this infectious energy that makes me smile. It’s a feeling I’ve never had before.”

Imagining his forever with the Louisiana native, he continued, “I have known for a while that I’ve wanted to have a beautiful life, but I truly didn’t know how beautiful that life could be until I met you.”

Status: Split

Despite meeting around the halfway point of season nine of Bachelor in Paradise, underwater welder John Henry Spurlock (one of Charity Lawson’s suitors) and nurse Kat (who competed for Zach Shallcross’ heart) quickly formed a connection. He proposed with a Neil Lane diamond, saying, “I’m going to try something a little different. I’m following my heart today. My heart’s telling me that you are amazing, you are everything that I’m looking for.”

However, shortly after the season finale, the couple announced they were breaking up. In a joint Instagram post, they explained, “While our paths are taking different directions due to our career goals not aligning, we are grateful for the love and support we’ve received from our family, friends, and Bachelor Nation.”

Status: Split

Even though she was anxious about a potential engagement with Paradise, Eliza Isichei (a former partner of Clayton Echard) joyfully said yes when Aaron Bryant proposed to her by the ocean. She was especially moved that the software salesman had asked her mother for her approval, and admitted, “I knew I was not in control of what was going to come out of my mouth.”

The show’s ending also revealed that Charity’s ex and marketing manager, Eliza, had faced some difficulties after returning from Mexico, and they later announced their engagement was over.

“Tricky emotions watching it all unfold,” Aaron shared on Instagram in December 2023. “We’re moving forward with our friendly split, maintaining only positivity and respect for each other.”

Status: Split

Despite Kylee Russell expressing disappointment that boyfriend Aven Jones hadn’t proposed with a traditional kneeling gesture-something he was reportedly ready to do with Rachel Recchia on The Bachelorette-she accepted his proposal on Paradise to try and build a life together.

This meant she didn’t get to wear the engagement dress she’d planned, but she explained, “I just had to do what I felt was right. Love is all about taking risks.”

Just two days after the December 2023 finale aired, Kylee revealed on Instagram that their relationship had ended because of multiple instances of cheating. Aven later apologized to Kylee, stating, “I made significant mistakes in the relationship and hurt someone I cared about deeply.”

Status: Engaged

“I am happy with how this season turns out!” Charity Lawson told TopMob News, though that statement didn’t quite capture the excitement of her August 2023 finale. In a memorable moment, Dotun Olubeko, an integrative medicine specialist, got down on one knee and declared their love was “perfect,” then asked the child and family therapist, “Would you do me the honor of making this fairytale come true?”

Although their happily ever after is still to come-they’re planning a wedding sometime in 2025 or 2026-the Georgia native will first be showing off her moves on the Dancing With the Stars dance floor. “All right, baby,” Dotun shared with Charity on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose. “I know you love to dance and have fun, and we’ve talked about this amazing opportunity. I’m so happy to tell you that you’re going to be on Dancing With the Stars! Let’s do this!”

 

Status: Married

Zach is going to find lasting love. Even though things weren’t always smooth, especially during the Fantasy Suite dates, Zach Shallcross proposed to Kaity Biggar in March 2023. He told the travel nurse, “I am so in love with you. You are my world. The love I feel for you is something I could have never imagined.”

Later, in July 2023, the couple, who are based in Texas, announced another milestone: Kaity shared on Instagram, “Officially roommates.”

They got married on May 23, 2025, in what Kaity described as “a cute little chapel celebration.” Although they had originally planned a bigger wedding, “I realized we didn’t need all the fuss,” she shared on a June 2025 episode of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast. “The most important thing about a wedding is to focus on our love and connection, and I was getting too caught up in minor details.”

However, one thing especially impressed her. The aunt who encouraged her to compete for Zach’s affection discovered the chapel near Austin where they had their wedding. As Kaity explained, “It was perfect.“

Status: Split

Ah, Mom and Dad. Though they left BIP season seven hand-in-Neil-Lane-diamond-free-hand, Danielle Maltby, who lost her fiancé to a drug overdose years before she competed on Nick Viall‘s season, and single dad Michael Allio (he shares 7-year-old son James with his late wife) seemed slated for Bachelor Nation couple goals status.  

But a year after Maltby relocated from Nashville to be with Allio in Ohio, he confirmed they’d split. “We both threw a lot into this relationship and it’s really awful when it doesn’t work out,” Allio said on a September 2023 episode of Jason Tartick‘s Trading Secrets podcast. “When things don’t work out, when you realize that love is there, but you’re not necessarily compatible, you mourn the loss, not of just that person and that friend in your life, but also the future that you had envisioned.”

Status: Split

“I will love you until the end of time. I will love you until my last breath and I want to start forever with you,” Brandon Jones said when he proposed to his “best friend” Serene Russell on season seven of Paradise.

Unfortunately, their relationship didn’t last. Five months after their engagement was shown on TV, Brandon (who was a runner-up on Michelle Young‘s season) and Serene (who dated Clayton Echard) announced they had broken up in a statement they released together in May 2023. “We have tried to work through our problems privately, which has been very difficult with so much public attention,” they wrote on Instagram. “This is incredibly painful and hard to accept, because we still care for each other very much. We are both deeply hurt and ask that people please be kind.”

Status: Split

Pilot Rachel’s engagement with general contractor Tino Franco ended after he kissed someone else while their season of the show was still being broadcast. He admitted on The Viall Files, “I completely regret my actions. It was wrong, unfair to Rachel, and I still feel guilty about it every day. I’m embarrassed and wish I could go back and handle things differently in countless ways.”

Status: Split

It was quite a rollercoaster for Susie Evans and Bachelor Clayton Echard. After she initially turned him down during the 2022 finale, they reconnected privately… only to break up again after six months.

However, the videographer from L.A. says the split was necessary. In a November 2022 blog post for “Susie Was Like,” she explained, “Those around me noticed my energy had faded and I wasn’t doing well.” She also admitted they “shared many happy times, but ultimately I was unhappy and felt like I wasn’t living up to my full potential.”

Susie then began dating Justin Glaze from Bachelor Nation, but they announced their split in August 2024.

Status: Split

Elementary school teacher Michelle from Minnesota accepted a proposal from Nayte Olukoya, a sales executive from Texas, along with a $200,000 check from the show to help with a future home. However, the couple ultimately realized they weren’t a good match and announced their breakup six months after their season finale aired in December 2021.

On The Viall Files, Nayte explained that they had “lots of ups and downs, lots of arguments, lots of fights and just not really clicking, not really seeing eye-to-eye,” but he admitted that not having a final conversation in person was “a dick move.”

Michelle began dating Jack Leius in 2023, and they got engaged the following year. They were married in Minnesota in June 2025.

Status: Split

Fans really connected with Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian‘s idea of a happy future, picturing cozy Sunday mornings together. However, the BIP season seven couple only spent a handful of weekends together.

“We’ve decided to separate,” announced Maurissa (who previously dated Peter Weber) and Riley (a former suitor on Tayshia Adams‘s season) in a joint statement in January 2022. “This wasn’t what we expected, but we both need to focus on personal growth.”

Status: Split

The first same-sex couple from Bachelor in Paradise got engaged during season six, but they revealed they had broken up in 2019 on Halloween.

As a lifestyle expert, I often see couples prioritizing love and mutual care, and that’s certainly been true for this pair. They’ve shared that their biggest focus has always been doing what’s best for *both* of them. In a recent joint statement posted on Instagram, they explained that, with a lot of love and sadness, they’ve decided to take a step back from their relationship. They emphasized that they ultimately want what’s best for their future, and right now, that means creating space to grow as individuals. It’s a tough decision, but sometimes prioritizing personal growth is the healthiest path forward. It’s all about self-care and respect, even when things are difficult. They clearly value their individual journeys as much as they cherish the time they spent together.

Status: Engaged

Did their love story suffer a setback? Not exactly. Although Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer briefly split during season seven of BIP in Mexico, they ultimately realized they were meant to be together. They first settled down in San Diego, but the travel nurse (who previously competed for Tayshia’s affection) and the financial manager (who received Matt James‘ first impression rose) have recently bought a home in Noah’s hometown of Tulsa.

“Getting ready to start our Chip and Joanna Gaines phase because your girl just bought her first house!!!” Abigail shared on Instagram in July 2023. “So excited to begin our next chapter and make lots of memories here!!” They’re even starting to plan a wedding. Noah proposed to her at a beautiful beachfront home in San Diego in August 2023.

Status: Married

Sometimes it’s good to have a trial run! While preparing their vows for September 2023, Serena Pitt (who was a finalist on Matt James’ season) and Joe Amabile (the grocery store owner from Chicago who became well-known after Becca Kufrin sent him home on night one in 2018) decided to go ahead and get legally married at City Hall near their home in New York City, about a year after getting engaged on Paradise.

“JUST MARRIED !!” Serena, who now co-hosts the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast with her husband, wrote in an October 2022 video post. “We’re still planning a wedding for this September, but who wouldn’t want to get married twice!”

Status: Married

“Mari, I am so in love with you,” boy band manager Kenny Braasch confessed as he put a Neil Lane diamond ring on Mari Pepin‘s finger during the 2021 Paradise finale. He added, “I truly can’t imagine my life without you.”

The Maryland beauty queen, who first caught the eye of Bachelor Matt, relocated to Kenny’s hometown of Chicago and began planning their future together. Before tying the knot in a Puerto Rico beachside ceremony with 65 guests in November 2023, they showed their commitment by getting matching tattoos during a trip to the Bahamas in May 2023.

Status: Married

Former Bachelorette Becca and Thomas Jacobs (who was on Katie Thurston’s season) first became a couple on season seven of Bachelor in Paradise in 2021. They briefly split up while filming, but got back together after the show ended.

In May 2022, they announced their engagement, revealing that Becca was the one who proposed. She told TopMob News, “I hope that other people can now feel empowered and say it’s okay to bend the rules.” Thomas then proposed to her in return that October. In September 2023, they welcomed their first child, a son named Benson. Becca shared on Instagram, “No amount of words can begin to capture the amount of love and awe we have over this tiny man.”

She’s also very much in love with her 6-foot-6 husband! Just weeks after Benson was born, the couple had a surprise wedding ceremony on October 13.

Status: Split

During the 2021 finale of The Bachelorette‘s seventeenth season, Katie became engaged to Blake Moynes. They initially expressed their feelings for each other on an overnight date that included activities like paintball, a relaxing soak in a cowboy tub, and a heartfelt conversation while stargazing.

As he knelt, Blake told Katie, “You deserve everything good in life, and I’m thrilled to encourage you and be by your side from now on.”

Just three months after they got engaged on television, the couple announced they were breaking up. In similar statements, they shared, “We truly appreciate the special times we’ve had and everything that happened this year, but we’ve realized we’re not suited for a long-term relationship. We believe going our separate ways is the kindest thing for both of us.”

She has since married comedian Jeff Arcuri.

Read More

2025-10-04 05:50